Solar-absorption cooling system for building structures



Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED ST TES SOLAR-ABSORPTION 000mm SYSTEM 7 non nurmmo STRUCTURES Carl Haywood, Indianapolis, Ind. Application Jline 23, 1937, Serial No. 149,828

' a 4 Claims. (01'. 2 -119) This invention relates to a solar system operated continuous absorption type air cooling system.

The chief object of this invention is to provide 6 a cooling systemfor a building structure or compartment which is subject to the rays of the sun for relatively long periods-during the day and more especially in localities where the normal daily temperature is relatively high so that the 10 sun's heat responsible for such high temperatures serves as a source of energy for operation of a cooling system to eliminate or reduce the sufl'ering or unpleasantness due to such heat. The chief feature of the invention consists in 15 the .application to a refrigerating system ofa solar furnace and associating therewith other apparatus, such as. hereinafter described, for ac.- complishing theyforegoing object and other purposes set'forthhereinafter. In This invention, as stated, may be applied to a stationary structure such as abuilding having a. one or more rooms, or a house type trailer vor the like, although not necessarily restricted thereto.

It may be utilized where centralfstatlon electric 25 power is not available,,or'whenever forre'aso'ns of economy, power linev connection isnot desired. The full nature of the invention will beunde'r stood from the accompanying drawing and-the following description and claims: 80 In the drawing, I V Fig. l is 'a vertical sectional view of a compartment with the invention'diagrammatically illustrated asapplied'thereto. f Fig. 2 is a similarview of a modifled form 35 thereof. a g a f In Fig. '1 of the drawing lll indicates a build- I ing structure having at least qnejroo n or compartment II therein and a relatively flat roof l2. The same supports a'glass compartment l3. to o eliminate as much as possible the circulation or passage of air should there be a slight breeze,

Mounted within compartment I3 isja generator l4 of an absorption type refrigerating .sys tem. If it be assumed theplaneof the section is g latitudinal, then there may be, if desired, provided mirrors l5-to the east-and west ofthe generator which in the early moming and late evening will reflect the sun'r'ays ontothe generator l4. If desired a source of heat such as an electric heating element or a flue gas heating arrangement, may be provided, but either of these, if employed, is solely utilized as an auxiliary source of heat. Herein such an auxiliary source-is ini dicated by numeral l6.

side of the building.

Thev numeral I 1 indicates an I analyzer which automatically separates water. vapor, from the ammonia vapor liberatedbythe generator. Element, 18, connected at one end to the analyzer,

serves as a rectifier and traps out of the gas, the

remaining moisture. This, may be finned as shown at Illa. The other end of the rectifier is I connected to the condenser l9 which maybe similarly finnedas at Iiiaand enclosed in alouvred compartment 20, preferably mounted ;inthe 10 shade. l Solar heat evaporates ammonia gas and water vaporirom the aqua ammonia in the generator. The dry gas following analysis and rectification is liquefied in the condenser, located on the shaded .The condenser discharges to areceiverllfin the same compartment which in turn'is con-.- nected to the expansion line 22 discharging to one end of the evaporator 23 through the auto- 20 m'atic expansion valve 24. .The evaporator is finned as at 23a. The evaporator is illustratedas to'the absorber25. r a

The condenser changes the vapor ammonia to 25 a sinuous conduit and its otherendis connected liquid ammonia, and the evaporator reverses this changeof state therebyabstracting. heat from chamber 26 which includes the, evaporator. The receiver serves as. a I storage receptacle, for liquid ammonia and its capacity mayv be so arranged 30 relative, to the evaporator capacity that an a'ppre ciable "carry-over is possible; in some instances, the, device storing sufficient liquid ammonia for use during the entire night when solar heat is notavailable for vaporization.

fIn the absorber 25 the heated; ammonia vapor is' absorbed by the weak aqua ammoniawhich is supplied thereto by ,the weak liquor line [l en-l veloped by the heat exchanger 28; .g suchsupply is controlled by theautomatic throttling yalve' 28 o and is diverted by'baiilesfiii in'the absorber.

, f The weak liquor uponabsorbing the ammonia gas in theabsorber becomes strong liquor an'd'is drawn from the bottom .ofthe absorber by the pump 3| and supplied by line 28} (previously des- 5 ignated as ,heat'. exchange) to the generator through the check valve 32. The pump 3| may be drlven by anelect'ric motor 33 supplied by lines 3 4 from a conventionally illustratedsource of electricalenergy 3'5-andcontjrolled by switch 36. The auxiliary heating unit l6 may also be connected to the source of energy 35 by lines 31 and controlled by switch 38.

Lines 39 connected to said source of energy and controlled by switch 40 are connected to an aux- '20as required.

.tery,-therefore, normally provides sufiicient eniliary or a circulating fan operating motor 4| operating fan 42. This fan circulates the air through the finned sinuosities oi the evaporator which is protected by a suitable grill arrange- 5 ment 2. An additional motor a and 42 controlled by switch "a may be provided if desired. Plug 43 is provided for filling the system. Switches 36, '38 and 40 are of conventional type that is, may be thermostatically controlled or manually controlled, as described Whenever desired, there may 'be provided in each room of the building and which is to be cooled an evaporator with its expansion valve Q and a circulating fan. All evaporators would .be

supplied by line 22 and'all evaporators would discharge to a common absorber 2i. As herein illustrated, the pump motor 33' is usually less than horsepower and the tan .motor li may be as small as desired or as large An automobile type storage batergy for motor operation fora reasonable period of time. Whenever-central station power is available, the auxiliary heat source i'may be utilized 25' as often as-required or desired, and in suchevent the system receiver 21 need notbe of such large capacity since. the-element is ,could be automaticaily cut infwhenver fihe -mom temperature exceeded' the predeterminedfmaximum del sired, irrespective'of whether the solar heating portion of the system was operative or'not.

Many individuals are notimuch aiiected by heat during their wakinghours but experience difilculty in getting t fsleepfiiurin hot nights. 36 Where this is the case'fand where central station power is not available for'auxiliaryheating, the receiver should be constructed of large size to enable jsufiicient liquor to accumulate therein during the day to permit or operation of the system a during the night. While continuous operation of all parts of the-system is possible,- and in fact is the usual method of operation, it is apparent that continuous day and night operation is not possible. It is to be noted, however, that day A5 and night cooling may be had with two'separate systems.

Where only night operation is required, the switch 38 is open during the day preventing operation of the pump and evaporator. This per 50 mits the accumulation of strong liquor in the receiver. Also, during the day automatic throttling valve 29 is kept closed and weak liquor from thegenerator is stored in'the tube 21. In the evening switches 36 and 40 are closed and valve 6i 2! opened whereby the system functions as in continuous daytime operation, the pump returning the fortified liquor from the absorber 25 to the generator where it awaits the action or the sun the following morning. The generator, in 6Q other words, acts as a storage tank during night operation.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modification of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1. This modification only difi'ers there- 65 from by providing two generators connected in parallel into the system in place of a single generator, said dual generators being positioned on both sides of a hip rooi' instead of fiat roof. Parts the system.

in Fig. 2 like or corresponding to parts in Fig. '1, bear similar numerals oi the one hundred series and the subscript a.

In this modification thetwo evaporators while connected in multiple, are'each provided with an 6' absorber. Valve I between line I21 and l2la and valve iii in the connection between absorber' Illa and pump lli provide a control for isolating the portion of the system in room Ilia from the remainder of the system. Similar 10 valves may be provided ahead. and behind absorber "Lit desired.

T0 facilitate filling of the system, the absorber may-be provided with a filling plug. Thus, in

provided with filling plug lGila.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in great detail in the foregoing de- 20 scriptlon and accompanying drawing, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, and the several modifications herein disclosed by way of illustration and/or description as well as others which will readily sug- 'gest themselves to persons skilled in this art, are

all considered to, be within the broad scope of this invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An absorption cooling system for a compartment or the like having a roof with at least two portions in angular relation, including in combination a generatorexposedly positioned on each of at least two or such roof portions and subject to solar heat, a single condenser positioned exteriorly of the compartment and operatively associated with all generators, and an evaporator within the compartment for cooling the air therein. 40

2. An absorption cooling system for a structure having a plurality of chambers therein and a roof with at leastJtwo portions in angular relation, including in combination a generator on each or at least two of such root portions and 4 5,

exposed to solar heat, an evaporator in each of at least two chambers for cooling the air therein, a single condenser positioned exteriorly oi the compartment and operatively associated with all generators and all evaporators, and absorber 60..

ing communication'with said evaporator, said 65. receiverbeing o1 s'uificientcapacity to store all refrigerant condensed by said condenser during the day thereby permitting nightoperation of the system.

4. A system as defined by claim 2, including a 60,

receiver associated with said condenser and having communicationwith said evaporators, said receiver being of sumcient capacity to store all refrigerant condensed by said condenser during the day thereby permitting night operation of v CARL HAYWOOD. 

